The Path
by Yo it's Alex. Fox
Summary: It's the season of fall, a path lies ahead, unexplored. A yellow pikmin named Harvest plans to travel down it. (Cover found on Unsplash) - Note: This story is in an alternate universe where pikmin are more independent, have genders, can start their own villages and such, and can have their own kids.
1. First Day

**Note: This story is in an alternate universe where pikmin are more independent, have genders, can start their own villages and such, and can have their own kids. If you don't like those kinds of alternate universes/headcanons/whatever. If you don't like that or they make you uncomfortable, then please leave. Thank you.**

(Though, the only thing in the list that is that important is the independence and villages)

-

A cold breeze blew; it's was autumn. The leaves were nice, warm colors. They fell from the trees and fluttered onto the ground. A scarfed yellow pikmin walks along a dirt path that formed from the many travelers who walked here for decades.

A small village rested by the side of the path; a place for the wanders to rest. The villagers adapted to the dozens of folks to walk into the village. Not much is known about the path, not many care to come back as the trail perhaps leads to death, as many theorize. Though, a few tend to return to settle in the village. Not many people knew what was at the end of the path.

The yellow was born in the village. She often saw people come to the village and decide to settle or leave down the trail and never return. She has always wanted to know what lies ahead and to tell everyone the truth about the trail. It's been her dream sense she was very young. She packed up her things, some food, and a weapon and left the village to complete her dream.

For miles, no one showed up, no monsters, nothing except the trail and the nature around her. Soon...a voice...?

"Hello?" it asked. "What'cha doing out here?"

The yellow stopped. "What are YOU doing here!?" She scanned for the voice, but there was no sign of a source. "Its odd seeing a new face around here. Are you lost, or something?"

The yellow felt...slightly offended...?

_Lost? How does following a trail mean I'm lost? Can he not see me__? _"No," she answered. "I'm following the path. No one from my village has found the end yet! I want to find what's at the end! Is something wrong with that?"

"No no! Nothing's wrong with that! Does no one ever find the village?"

"I'm FROM the village!" The yellow looked around. Still couldn't find the voice. She looked everywhere; the bushes, the grass, the trees...she couldn't find him.

"I don't think you are! I don't think I've met you yet! I would have if you are!"

"I can say the same!" By then, this really frustrated her. "Can we please stop with this talking and can you instead show me who you are!?"

The voice chuckled. "Look up!"

"Look up? I have looked-" She paused as she noticed in the branch above her...a red pikmin, just, sitting in the tree, watching her from below.

"Where...I just looked up there! Where did you come from!?"

"The village."

"You know what I meant!" She was frustrated with this voice even though they had just met.

"Well...I've been relaxing in a tree where I couldn't see you before I heard footsteps." He walked over to the tree's trunk. "I don't hear footsteps often.

"Most of the footsteps I've ever heard was the ones from the wanderers that come into the village," she told him.

"Same here. ...say, what is the village named again?" The red had come up with an idea.

"Restpoint. How did you forget that?"

"Restpoint?"

"Yeah! Restpoint! Haven't you heard about it yet?"

"I think I have...but it isn't my village."

"Your village?" That really confused her.

"Yep." he nods. "Mine is named Leaffall. It's a marketplace and a resting grounds for wanderers and rouges who come by. By the name Restpoint, I assume it's the same there?"

"Yeah. But stores aren't common there. Only places to rest and relax. That's not to say there aren't stores; there's a few but not enough to call it a marketplace."

"Interesting..." The red paused for a moment. "Say, what's your name?"

"My name is Harvest. You?"

"I'm September! Nice to meet you, Harvest!"

"Nice to meet you too." By then, Harvest's anger towards September had worn off.

"I have to ask, Harvest. Why are you away from your village?"

"Well...I keep hearing stories about this path as a kid. But no one knows what's at the end. So I've always wanted to go search for it myself, so that's what I'm going to do."

"I always wanted to know too! Strange how there's so much gossip yet we still don't know a thing about what's at the end of the path..."

"Exactly! That's why I want to follow it! I want to walk down it, find what's at the end, and head back and tell everyone!"

"That sounds like fun! ...can...I know we just met, but can I join you? I wanna know what's at the end so when we come back to our villages, we can tell the tale of the end of the path! And maybe we can tell everyone about each other's villages!"

"Yeah!" These ideas were exciting Harvest. She met someone like-minded! "Sure you can!" She no longer cared if September is a threat or danger or not; she had finally met someone who's like her.

"Alright! ...but...I should go back to Leaffall...I need my stuff. Plus, it's getting a little late, don't you think?"

He was right; it was becoming sunset...the sky's colors were changing to orange.

"Is...there a place to stay there?"

"Why wouldn't there! But come on! Let's head there!" He takes off.

"W-wait-" She follows, worried he would leave her behind. "Wait for me!"

Soon, they made it. It was far off the path, but it would be easy to return to the path. September ran into the heart of the small village. As he said, many small shops littered the area, seemingly like a farmer's market; only farmers seem to be selling goods. It looked more developed than Restpoint. Perhaps people knew about Leaffall more than Restpoint? A few pikmin walk around, looking like they were closing up shop.

"Here we are," September said, stopping. "Welcome to Leaffall! This place is known for the leaves that fall at this time of year! That's how it got its name! Isn't it pretty?"

It was; many trees littered the area, many red, orange, and yellow leaves. Rarely any green. A river was nearby as well. It reflected the sky's beautiful colors.

"I...I love it!" This felt worth the journey already. Sure, Restpoint was pretty, but she had never seen this place before.

"Well... it's best you find a place to go rest. I would say Sunset's Inn is the best place to stay. Mom said it's the best so...it has to be true!"

"...good point." She worried for a moment; how can she pay to stay? She needed money to get in...she was sure of it.

"Come on! I'll show you the way!" September walked away, Harvest following shortly after.

They walked into a large building. Many doors were on the buildings. They must be rooms.

Someone instantly recognized September; "Hi, September!" another, much older red pikmin greets them. "How has today been for ya?"

"Really good! I met someone on the path today when I was playing in the trees!" He looked over at Harvest. "This is Harvest! She's from a village called Restpoint!"

"Restpoint, huh? That's something you don't see every day! What brings you here, Miss Harvest? Planning to stay for the night, I assume?"

"Mhmm," she nodded. "I...I wanna stay here...room for one, please. One night only."

"Well..." Spice looked over to the wall of keys. "Since you seem to be acquainted with September and you're from Restpoint, I'll give you a discount." He took the keys and placed them on the counter. "A room will be twenty clover!"

_This place uses clover? I'm feeling luckier than I thought..__. _She placed some clover, the currency in Restpoint (and apparently Leaffall), on the counter and takes the key.

"Enjoy the stay!" He sounded happy to see a new face around here. Who can blame him?

She nodded and out of the room and out to the front where the doors were. The tag on the keys had the number '9' on it.

September then walked out of the room, following her. "Well, I hope you enjoy your room here!"

"Thank you." She looked at the room labeled '9'.

"I'll meet you back here in the morning, okay?"

"Okay...thanks for bringing me here, September...I really appreciate it." She really did; she didn't expect to find a village. Let alone because someone she met on the path showing her here.

"Oh!" September remembered something. "Are you hungry? Do you need anything to eat before I go?"

She unlocked the door. "No. Maybe in the morning, but it's pretty late and I got some food stored for the trip. And I'm pretty tired..."

"That makes sense. Well...see you in the morning, Harvest."

"You too, September. See you later." She went inside the shut the door.

Inside was just a simple mini-kitchen and a bed. Everything felt nice and cozy to her. She walked over to the bed, sat down her bag, and dug for some food.

Once she finished eating her rice she cooked up, she laid down on her bed, covered herself up, and went to sleep.


	2. Second Day

It was a cold, rainy day. Harvest stared out the window, looking at the outside; young pikmin played in the rain. She wanted to leave.

She got up, walked outside, and walked until she reached the entrance of Restpoint. She stares at the archway. It was often the first thing you saw when you spot the village. Morning glories grew on it.

She took a deep breath and quickly stormed off.

But then...something grabbed her by the shoulder. "Where are you going, Harvest?" a female's voice asks her.

Harvest stood there, stopped dead in her tracks. She fell silent.

"Harvest?"

"I...I was going to walk down the path again..."

"You are? Don't you remember?" she asked, "it's dangerous! I don't want you to disappear like the rest! I don't want my sweet little angel to disappear like the leaves! No one does!" She spoke with great concern. Who could blame her?

"Mom I...I won't...I won't get lost...t-that the point..."

"Let's head back...besides, it's raining and its cold! Don't you hate that?"

"I guess..," Harvest sighed.

"Good! Let's go make breakfast, okay?" She turned Harvest around and led the way. She was a yellow, just like her daughter. "I bet it will taste great with you helping me!"

"Yeah...yeah, I guess..." Harvest wanted to cry...why can't she just leave? Why does mom have to stop her? The exit and the start of her journey were right there...right there...please don't cry...don't cry...don't cry...

Harvest woke up, tears streamed down her face; she really was crying. She sat up, looking around. "...mom?" She didn't remember where she was.

After scanning the room, she remembered; she finally did leave Restpoint. She sighed, got up, fixed the bed, and left.

When she was outside, September wasn't there. __So...he didn't come back..__She sighed and went into the entrance to give the keys back to Spice. Inside he was there, working on some paperwork.

She places the keys on the counter, she also gave him a few clover as a tip.

"So, how was your night?" he asked her.

"It was good."

"That's great!"

"Y-yeah..."

Spice could sense that something wasn't right... "Are you okay, Harvest? Something seems off."

"How...h-how would you know...? We just met yesterday..."

"Well..." He just had the feeling... "Never mind." It was worth a shot, at least.

"Hi, Harvest! Good morning!"

It was September! So he did come back...! He had a backpack with him this time.

"Hey...!" She ran over.

"How was your night?"

"Pretty good. You?"

"I'm doing great! So...want to go get breakfast?" He was really looking forward to having one last meal here in Leaffall before they left.

"Sure." Why not? Breakfast would be a good idea.

"Okay then! Let's go!" He took off as he did yesterday.

Harvest sighed again...her mom's words refused to leave her be...what if she does disappear...? Will she not see everyone in Restpoint again? She followed September.

The breakfast they ate was good; eggs with some cinnamon toast for Harvest and pancakes with fruit for September.

"I told you this place was good!" September told Harvest.

She nods. They walk, leaving behind Leaffall. Harvest was made uneasy by this...it felt strange...she never left her village before...let alone enter one she had never heard of before, stay for a night, and then leave within under a day.

Watching the leaves fall helped a little...it was just like Restpoint...it was comforting for her...she needed this. There was a nice, gentle breeze as well.

September noticed her unease, but he kept it to himself. He was pretty focused on their new adventure.

It didn't take too long to find the path. September ran over to it, excitement running through him to see it again. Harvest followed him.

"Now we have officially started the adventure!" he chirped.

__Didn't it start when I entered Leaffall...?__"Yep...!"

They walked down the trail.

They walked for a long time...for hours...

"No sign of the end yet..," September pointed out.

"Yep..," Harvest replied. "...but we are not stopping until we reach the end...even if it takes our whole lives..."

"Yeah. Though...we should stop for a little while. I'm getting hungry..."

"Me too...but I want to continue..," she sighed.

"If we continue now, we will stop to eat and sleep anyway. So why not now? Before we get too tired? Then we can!" September stopped to grab something from his bag.

Harvest turned around, looking at him. __He has a point...__

He walked away from the trail and after a bit of searching, he found a place to sit down. He took out a soft blanket, placed it on the grass, and headed off.

She sat down on the blanket. "Where are you going?" she asked him.

"To find some fruit! I saw an apple tree nearby! I will be right back!" He ran back, following the trail.

Harvest sat there. Thoughts began to race in her mind... __Will he come back...? Is he going to leave me here...?__

Meanwhile, September was heading over to a tree he saw. As he walked over, he felt...a dark, looming presence...

__What...what the hell is that...?__he asked himself. He didn't like it...

It got worse and worse the closer he got. But...he didn't think much of it...he didn't care to pay attention. He didn't think to worry about this.

He walked right up to the apple tree. The apples were bright red. He climbed up, resting on a branch. He grabbed about four apples, put them in his bag and climbed back down.

The feeling became even worse after he took the apples...he refused to pay attention, even if it was hard to...

He walked back to Harvest, who was holding her knees close to her; she was worried sick...

"I'm back!" September greeted her. "I got some apples!"

She jumped a little, a bit scared by September showing up out of the blue. "O-oh...h-hi, S-September! You...b...brought apples?"

"Yep!" He walked over, sitting next to her. "I did!" He took off his backpack, setting it to the side and taking out two of the apples.

He gave one to Harvest. "Here you go!" he said as he did.

She took it. "Thank you..," she told him as she examines the apple. __Looks...normal...doesn't look bad...__

September took his and bit into it. "Mmmm! It's great!" he chirped.

She looked over at him, watching him for a minute before she took a bite out of her's. It was great, just as he said.

She too felt like...something was wrong...a presence...she couldn't put her finger on it...

__What is this...? __she asked herself. __I...I don't like this...__She was too scared to ask September if he felt this too.. __It...doesn't feel like he does...I guess it's not worth asking...__

After they finished, September got up. "Well, we have food in our stomachs now. Let's continue!"

Harvest nodded and got up. The presence left them. Though, it was still on her mind.

September walked away, Harvest following behind. Once they reached the path, sunset started to begin. She watched the sky nervously.

September was already on the lookout for a place to set up camp for the night. He looked everywhere as they walked.

Harvest wasn't thinking about that; the thought of that presence weighed on her mind... _Where did it come from? Did I do something to cause it? Did September do something to cause it?...is...is this a sign to go back...? _She began to panic a little as she thought of that.

September finally noticed. "Harvest? Are you alright?"

"N...n-y-yes...I'm alright..."

"It doesn't seem like you are..."

"I am...I am, I-I promise..."

He worried too... __What's wrong with Harvest...?__

He sighed and kept looking. It didn't take too long after to find a place to rest for the night; there was an open area. Perfect for a camping spot!

"Here!" He ran over.

"September? Where are you going...?" she asked.

"I found a place to stay for tonight!" he replied.

"Oh." She followed him over to the spot.

He took off his backpack and dug around for something. She watched for a moment before she did the same. He started pitching the tent.

Once they both did, Harvest sat down on the grass, watching the sky as September kept working on his tent; making his bed for the night.

Harvest kept the presence in mind as it became night. September eventually sat next to her after he finished with his bed.

She got up. "Goodnight, September," she told him as she went into her tent.

"Oh. Night, Harvest. Have a nice sleep!" he replied. He decided to stay out.

He did for a little while. He watched the stars and listened to the bugs until he decided to go to bed; he got up, headed into his tent, closed it up and laid down.

It took a while for him to sleep; ideas of the next day flooded his mind. Mostly scenarios of what could happen and what's at the end. Is there another village at the end? Treasure? A dead-end? It excited him; the possibilities were endless. He daydreamed until he was able to fall asleep.


	3. Third Day

September was walking alone in Leaffall. The village was as alive and active as it always is. Pikmin were buying things from the shops, others were just walking around, admiring the beautiful surroundings. He was heading somewhere; he needed to help someone.

He looked forward to it. There was no hurry, so he decided to take the long way to look at the shops that were open today and maybe pick up a snack.

They had mostly farmers selling crops and other foodstuffs, as usual, and some selling crafts or old items.

He loved how alive the place was and couldn't be prouder of his village!

He then made it to a building; his mother's work. She was one of the village leader's assistants. The building was nice. She needed help with something, he walked inside.

But then...with a large 'BOOM', September was blown back by something. Fear went jolted through him as everything became a fiery red.

"MOM!" he screamed as everything began to hurt; it felt like...he was being burned alive. Within half a second, everything suddenly changed; he was now in a tent, no pain, no explosion. The tent he pitched last night. It was all a dream. He was shaking and on the verge of tears. He was already sitting up, trying to process what just happened.

"September!" Harvest yelled, trying to break into the tent but failing to open it. "Are you okay?! What happened?! Is something here?!"

"Y-yes! I'm okay!" he replied, trying to calm himself down to speak, although, it was hard since he was still shaken up. "I'm okay, Harvest! Don't worry!" He got up and opened the tent for her. "See?" He was still shaking a little.

She didn't believe that he was okay...he looked scared to her... "Yeah..."

"Well...let's go make some breakfast and get going!" he said, already ready to walk down the path some more.

"I'll make it today," she told him. "I still have some meat we can cook." She got up, heading to the campfire she made.

September followed as you would expect. "When did you make this?"

"This morning. I had a bad dream and couldn't go back to sleep so I made it so we can cook breakfast. I had a sheargrub walk nearby...I already made some."

"Oh, neat! How lucky!" He didn't expect to have any meat for a long, long time. Just fruit and more rice.

She headed over to the body; already prepared to cook. Any parts they weren't able to eat were thrown out for the scavengers to eat. She took the second piece and started to cook it with a pan she had on her.

September sat down by the fire. "Harvest, you said you never left Restpoint, right?" he asked her.

"Yeah. But, we have a library full of books," she told him. "There was a couple about living as a rogue pikmin or out in the wild. I decided to read them all in private. ...mom didn't want me to ever leave Restpoint...she thought it was too scary and hard to live on your own so she was angry when she caught me reading those books...so I always went to the library in my spare time. The librarian was always nice to me...she was understanding and let me read in the back in case mom showed up...she was the only one to support me and my dream to see what's at the end...she also let me take home books to say I was reading them...mom never thought much of it...and I'm glad...but everyone thinks I'm into reading when I'm not...but I'm so thankful for the librarian. I hope she's still working when I come back..."

"Me too..," September replied. "But I'm glad you read up on all of that! It's good to know that you know what you're doing! Because I'm just winging it and hoping I don't die!"

"You're telling me that you have no clue how to survive in the wild?" she asked. __Are you__that __stupid?__

"Yep!" He didn't care, however. He was just glad he's out on an adventure.

Harvest couldn't be any more disappointed in him. __So, he's out here on an adventure that will most likely be going to kill him? A venture many had done just to not return? What the hell is wrong with you, September?!__

By then, she had finished cooking. He put the meat on the plate and handed it to him. "Here you go."

"Thanks!" he said as he took the plate and proceeded to eat it. It was delicious and he loved it!

Harvest sighed.__For the love of god...why are you this fucking dumb...?__

She just watched him eat.

If we are gonna die on this trip, he's going to first...I know it. This is what I get for letting a stranger come along...

Once September finished eating, he got up. "Well, let's pack everything up and go!" he chirped.

"Yeah..." She got up and did just that.

The trail was growing less defined; it was fading into the grass; it was getting so close to the end.

They walked, and walked...and walked...it lasted...so long...but then...wooden fencing? They were logs that were made into fences.

"...fences," September muttered. "I think there's someone who lives at the end of the path! Or maybe a village! Or a shop! Who knows?"

Harvest looked over. "Maybe." She wondered that as well. The path fading made sense for that too...

But then...Harvest felt sick...so suddenly; her head ached and it felt like things started fading away. "S-September...m...my head hurts..," she told him. Not only that, the feeling from yesterday came back...

"Me too...what...what is this...?" He sounded extremely worried...but...he tries to push himself further. He tried his best to run. They're so close...!

"S-Sep...Sep-t-tember...wait...!" she told him, trying to catch up.

The further they got, the more it hurt, the more the feeling grew stronger.

"Almost there...!" They can't see it...their sight became shaky...but...they have to be!

But...everything then blacked out. So suddenly. __What...?! __

__She couldn't see or hear or speak...there's nothing. __September?! Are you there?__


	4. The Human's Home

The cold, hard floor was what Harvest woke up to. The last thing she remembered was pain and then screaming for September. "...S...Sep...tember?" She got up, looking around.

Everything was dark except a broken, human-sized wire that was sparking with electricity which lit the room with a dim, flickering light; an electrode.

September woke up shortly after while Harvest was already up and walking about, trying to figure out what this place was.

"Where are we...?" September asked as he got up.

"Why would I know?"

"Well...you said you knew about survival stuff so maybe you would know about this place...?" He was quite uneasy.

She kept quiet for a good minute as she kept looking about. "I think...this is a human's home..."

"Human's home? What's a human?"

"Humans are pikmin of the past...but, they were colossal giants, according to the books...Bookworm said that we know this due to a pikmin who was once a human..." She looked at the electrode...maybe she could fix it.

"Bookworm...?"

"The librarian...sorry." She walked over to it.

It looked like something that just two yellows could fix. Or, a yellow who can pull the wires close, hold them until they can start the electrical current.

She grabbed one end and started dragging it to where she can hold both.

"Here! Let me help!" September ran over.

"September!?"

Before she knew it, he grabbed her hand, completing the circuit, but in the process, getting electrocuted. But oddly, it wasn't as extreme as it should be...?

She quickly let go of him. Or tried to. "What are you thinking?!"

"I-I-I'm h-helping, H-H-H-Harvesttt!" He twitched, horribly. He then let go and ran off.

The light turned on; the circuit started.

September watched, still twitching.

"You dumbass!" Harvest yelled at him. "You could have gotten yourself killed!"

"I-I'm fine...! I-I'm part yellow...!"

"...what...? You...look like a normal red to me...!"

September looked down at his hands. They were horribly burned. "Well...I WAS more of a yellow...but they made me...more red to fix some injuries." He started feeling...a little sad.

"What kind of injuries require you to change types?!"

"C-can we not talk about this...? Besides, my hands got pretty burned..."

She growled and walked over to look at his hands. "Holy shit..." A part of her thought he shouldn't even be alive...plus, the burns were nasty... "D-do I have my backpack?" She turned around to look at where they woke up.

It was just laying on the ground near where the two woke up.

"Stay here, Sep..." She walked over to it. __What was I thinking?__Sep asked himself, looking at his charred hands. __She's right; I would have been killed...why didn't I remember what Leader told me...?__

Harvest grabbed some bandages and walked back with the backpack. "This is all I can do...it won't help except to keep it from getting worse..." She then wrapped the bandages around the burn. "Once we leave, please head back to Leaffall..."

"Why?"

"A doctor can help with the burns better than I ever could...I'm useless here...I didn't prepare for something like this...and why should I? Who expected us to blackout and wake up in a human's home?"

"Oh...will you come with me once we can get out...?"

"No, go by yourself. I wanna continue the trip to the path's end. Not walk back every time this happens!"

September felt a little hurt, he wanted Harvest to come with him in case something happens, but he understood why she didn't wanna go back.

"Try not to use them much until then...okay?" __Please don't take forever to get out...PLEASE don't be too large, human's home...__

"We should find a way out..," Harvest said. She looked ahead; a doorway. But, she headed back to grab his backpack. It's not worth leaving it behind.

"Yeah..." He walked ahead as usual.

It wasn't like a home at all; it was empty, abandoned. Was this even a home for a human at all? Cold hard floors everywhere, no furniture, no light sources other than the outdoor light coming in, gray everywhere.

September felt a sense of emptiness. __Human's home? How can you call this a home...? Why call it that?__

He sighed, he just hoped that it will show signs of what he expected sometime soon.

It felt like they didn't make any good progress for a while...walking in a straight line for a long, long time...

They then found the exit...or, so they thought. It was another room. It was darker than before but it was the only way to go.

"I have a bad feeling about this..," Harvest comments.

"Me too..."

She just walked ahead, the words of her mother haunting her.

_"Don't you get that it's dangerous, sweetie? I don't want my sweet little angel getting hurt!"_

She just had to push through this...she was scared to be proven wrong. She doesn't want her mom to be right...maybe she should have stayed and lived a normal life in the village...

It felt like the darkness was slowly consuming them...all they could see was their thoughts and the fading light behind the two. No going back now...

For a while, they just walked straight ahead until...a voice...

"So...you've made it this far, hm...?" The voice was deep and scary...nothing you would want to hear when you lost your sight.

Not only that...the presence...it...returned...

"Who is that?!" Harvest asked. "Who are you?!"

"Heh...why should I tell you, young one?"

"Tell me! I-I...it's not...not nice to do this...?!" She was unsure of what to say. The presence didn't help one bit.

He just chuckled at her. "Pathetic."

"Who are you calling pathetic?!" September asked. The presence was no big deal to him. "That's not nice!"

"Feisty little one, aren't you?"

"Show yourself! I'm not afraid of you!"

"Are you sureee?" The presence grew stronger. It felt like something dark, large, and unknown was looming over them.

It was scaring Harvest, making her want to run away once again...

September, meanwhile, still wasn't scared. He wanted to fight away this monster, this thing, whatever it was. He wanted to scare it away. "Yeah! Show yourself! Tell us who you are! You're scaring Harvest!"

"Why would I care about that scared little kitten's feelings? It's pathetic and sad! No one deserves to be this afraid of something so HARMLESS!" The presence was getting more and more intense.

Harvest just...wanted to cry...she hated this.

"You should care! She doesn't like this scary feeling thing you're giving us!"

"Why aren't you so afraid, little cub?"

"Why are you making this harder than it should be?!" September runs off, trying to find this strange voice...

"September?! Don't leave me here! W-where are you!?" Harvest wanted to cry...did the one person she had just up and left her...?!

"Show yourself! I'll fight you if I have to!" September yelled. He wanted to protect his friend.

"Fight? Aren't you a little brave soul? Heh...you seem like a fun thing to play with." The presence grew a bit stronger.

"Stop taunting me and show me want you got!"

"Very well, cub..."

Then, a figure showed before him; a dark, shadowy figure of a pikmin of an unknown type. The room lit up, just a little. Just enough to see the figure.

September tried tackling it, but then...it grabbed him. "Not so fast!"

This didn't stop him; he tried to punch him...but, the figure's arm...explodes...

It launches September back. He landed close to where Harvest stood.

"September!" She ran over to him.

The figure was gone with the explosion... "It was a nice attempt. Better than many who tried before you."

September curled himself up into a ball, screaming in pain and writhing in agony. His right side was horribly disfigured...

"I pity you, cub. You tried."

It didn't take long for September to force himself to stop and try to get up. "I-I will...I will k...-"

"Don't even attempt to. I feel like being a tiny bit...merciful today...besides, you two are newly adults...fifteen*, correct? It would be a shame if you lived for this long just to die horribly, wouldn't it?"

September didn't have the strength to run forward and attack the apparent nothingness that's speaking in front of them.

"You're finally able to be independent! You're free from the grasps of your parents! I better let you two enjoy the luxury while it lasts..."

He started feeling lightheaded...he glanced at the ground...blood...dripping on the ground...

"But...before I let you two go completely...let me have a little fun..."

Then, a bolt of magic hits September. He screamed as it consumed him; it was painful...

"S-Sep!" Harvest stepped back, watching in horror as he screamed.

Once it ended, he dropped to the floor. He was unconscious, but...didn't look the same...half of his body looked like it was burned by a fire and mangled...like...he ran into an explosion...but the injuries from earlier were gone...? Strangest of all...his faint dot markings were gone and he had ears...just like a yellow pikmin...but one was rather charred...

"Wh...w-what did you do to him!?" Harvest screamed.

"I fixed him. He's back to the way he was SUPPOSED to be. You two will thank me later. I bet on it!" The voice laughed. "Now...go back to your lives as they were before. The path's ends aren't for simple children like you!"

Everything then...blacked out...the presence vanished.

Next thing she knew, she was outside...laying in the grass. A scarred September laying next to her, still unconscious. The human's home was right behind her. It was as empty looking on the outside as it was on the inside.

She got up, still incredibly shaken. __Leaffall...__She carefully picked him up. __I need to find Leaffall...__

She looked ahead; the path isn't there. Nowhere to go but ahead. __I need to bring him back home...__

__*Pikmin, in this alternate universe, age similarly to humans, although, they grow much faster and once they are first plucked out of the ground, they are about the same mental, and physical, age of a five-year-old human. Pikmin turn into adults once they turn fifteen; three years sooner than humans. Haven't quite settled on a non-onion based way of reproduction yet, though.__


End file.
